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2022 Sunflower Summer offers free admission to Kansas attractions

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2022 Sunflower Summer offers free admission to Kansas attractions


A preferred program for Kansas youngsters to get free admission to a number of the state’s coolest sights is coming again this summer time.

Sunflower Summer season — a Kansas State Division of Training initiative that gave over 70,000 Kansans free entry to museums, parks and different sights across the state in 2022 — is funded for the following few summers, schooling commissioner Randy Watson introduced Tuesday.

“We’ll be doing it once more, and we’re enthusiastic about it,” Watson advised the Kansas State Division of Training.

This is what you should know.

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Editorial:Sunflower Summer season program is a giant success

How does Sunflower Summer season work?

The state schooling division had used federal COVID-19 reduction funding to begin Sunflower Summer season in 2021, in an effort to verify all Kansas college students had entry to summer time enrichment alternatives.

This yr, Gov. Laura Kelly determined to reallocate unused federal reduction funds for Kansas’ personal faculties to the state schooling division in order that it may proceed to supply Sunflower Summer season.

To get free admission to Kansas sights, dad and mom or different adults obtain the Sunflower Summer season app on their telephone and register themselves and their youngsters. The app then gives a single-use, free ticket for the kid, in addition to free tickets for as much as two accompanying adults, to attend sights across the state.

Extra:For some Kansas college students, summer time faculty (or enrichment) might be their saving grace

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In 2021, about 70 totally different sights — together with the Kansas Cosmosphere, Kansas Youngsters’s Discovery Heart, the Eisenhower Presidential Library and numerous zoos — participated within the state program.

Denise Kuehler, a KSDE spokesperson, mentioned the division will not be but able to share extra info apart from to say Sunflower Summer season is coming, however Watson in September advised the Kansas State Board of Training that suggestions from venues in 2021 was outstanding.

Many places known as it the very best program that they had ever participated in, Watson mentioned, and a number of other even provided different freebies or discounted admission for future admission to Sunflower Summer season households.

Who can use Sunflower Summer season?

Twins Quinlyn, left, and Bexley, 1, are helped onto a triceratops baby model by their mom, Kayla Christian, at an exhibit at the Kansas Children's Discovery Center, which participates in Sunflower Summer.

This system is open to any baby in Kansas, no matter their faculty, so long as they’re between ages 4 and 18 and have not graduated from highschool. 

“Public, personal faculty, homeschool — it does not matter,” Watson mentioned. “They only need to be of faculty age.”

As much as adults accompanying a toddler, together with dad and mom, grandparents, babysitters, daycare lecturers and different guardians, can also obtain free admission to sights by way of this system, Watson mentioned.

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“Anybody who is anxious about that scholar can take these college students to the Topeka Zoo, or to the Cosmosphere or (Kansas Division of) Wildlife and Parks at Kanopolis or Glen Elder,” Watson mentioned.

When does Sunflower Summer season begin?

Final yr, the Sunflower Summer season program did not get began till July 1, so it solely ran for just a little over a month earlier than the beginning of faculty in mid-August.

Nonetheless, about 43,000 Kansas youngsters and 28,000 adults have been in a position to make use of this system to get free admission to sights across the state.

Individuals got here from every of Kansas’ 104 counties, Watson reported in September 2021, in visiting over 70 sights provided that summer time, and he mentioned he anticipated extra households and venues would have participated if that they had recognized extra about this system.

Extra:In search of a summer time journey? Put these eight Kansas out of doors sights in your listing.

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Kelly’s choice on allocating the federal reduction additionally funds this system for summers 2023 and 2024. For 2022, Sunflower Summer season is slated to begin proper after Memorial Day, Watson mentioned, and can run by way of early August.

“Or till the cash runs out, which might be a great factor to have, proper?” Watson mentioned.

Rafael Garcia is an schooling reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He could be reached at rgarcia@cjonline.com. Comply with him on Twitter at @byRafaelGarcia.



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Kansas

Dense Fog Blankets Central Kansas

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Dense Fog Blankets Central Kansas


Dense fog reduced visibility to less than a quarter mile in parts of central, south central, and southeast Kansas on Saturday morning, December 28, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Footage taken in Wichita by NWS meteorologist Kevin Darmofal shows his view of “another foggy start” to the day.

A dense fog advisory would remain in effect until 10 am CST, the NWS said.

“Low visibility could make driving conditions hazardous,” the weather service warned. “If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.” Credit: Kevin Darmofal/NWS Wichita via Storyful

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5 Chiefs Who Will Carry Kansas City to the Super Bowl

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5 Chiefs Who Will Carry Kansas City to the Super Bowl


The Chiefs look poised to make another deep playoff run en route to a potential third consecutive Super Bowl victory, having secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC with the ability to rest starters in Week 18 on top of the first-round postseason bye.

Guys like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Chris Jones will obviously be the driving forces behind any major success over the next month, but there are a number of other players who will step up in a big way to help this organization reach immortality.

We all know the leaders, but who are some of the underrated Chiefs who are poised to guide Kansas City to another Lombardi?

It’s hard to call a three-time All-Pro an under-the-radar player, yet fans and national media alike still might not be aware of how special Joe Thuney has been. After another ho-hum season of perhaps the best guard play in the NFL, Thuney flipped over to left tackle, a position he does not play, and has been excellent.

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The 32-year-old only has one year left in his contract. However, no offensive lineman has been more important to the Chiefs. Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith are elite players, though Thuney moving over to left tackle helped resurrect Kansas City’s offense and save the season.

D.J. Humphries’ acquisition has proved to be a failure. He can’t get on the field and at this point, it’s far too risky to let him protect Mahomes. Wanya Morris and Kingsley Suamataia clearly can’t handle the role, so it feels likely that Thuney will remain the Chiefs’ left tackle throughout the playoff run.

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Ranking as the fourth-best offensive guard out of 129 players at Pro Football Focus, Thuney has been marvelous.

Considering next year is the last on his contract, there’s a strong argument to be made that Brett Veach needs to do everything in his power to extend the veteran. If Thuney keeps this level of play up, he’ll be remembered as one of the best offensive linemen in franchise history.





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2 arrested after stolen vehicle leads Kansas City Police on high-speed chase

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2 arrested after stolen vehicle leads Kansas City Police on high-speed chase


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Two men who led police on a high-speed chase through Kansas City in a stolen vehicle have been charged in connection to another stolen vehicle.

Jackson County, Missouri, Circuit Court records indicate that Trevon Perkins, 27, and Demont M. Vandunk, have been charged in connection to the armed robbery of a Corvette from a Kansas City detailer and a high-speed chase that followed.

A probable cause statement filed by the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department revealed that just after 5 p.m. on Dec. 20, emergency crews were called to a local parking lot with reports of an armed robbery. When they arrived, they found a local detailer who reported he had been working on a Corvette when it was stolen.

The victim told law enforcement officials that two men, later identified as Perkins and Vandunk, drove up in a black 2018 Camaro before they threatened to shoot him as they took his wallet, keys and belongings.

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Investigators noted that Vandunk left the scene in the blue 2023 Corvette while Perkins returned to the Camaro and sped off. Later that night, the Camaro was spotted near E. 67th and Monroe Ave. However, when law enforcement officials attempted to pull the driver – Vandunk – over, he attempted to speed off and started a chase.

Law enforcement officials said they followed Vandunk and Perkins, who was in the passenger seat, down Meyer to Swope Pkwy. and onto Cleveland Ave. as they reached speeds of more than 100 mph. Vandunk lost control of the Camaro before it crashed into another vehicle near 40th and Cleveland.

KCPD said Vandunk and Perkins attempted to run but were quickly taken into custody. During the investigation, it was found that the Camaro had also been stolen out of Kansas City, Kansas. All of the property stolen in the earlier robbery was found and seized.

Vandunk was charged with accessory to robbery, armed criminal action and aggravated fleeing a stop. Perkins was charged with accessory to robbery and armed criminal action as a result. If convicted both could face up to life in prison.

As of Friday, Dec. 27, Perkins remains behind bars on a $75,000 bond. A bond review hearing has been scheduled for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31, with a preliminary hearing at 2 p.m. on Jan. 22.

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Vandunk remains behind bars on a $75,000 bond as well. A bond review hearing for him has been set for 10 a.m. on Tuesday with a preliminary hearing also at 2 p.m. on Jan. 22. No further information has been released.

Trevon Perkins, Demont Vandunk(Jackson County, Missouri, Detention Center)



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